Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Arrived at Buttercup Ridge, Dogsled checked out okay.....



Our Location: Buttercup Ridge, Roseneath, Ontario

Hello one and all. I hope you’ve all managed to stay warm, dry and healthy over the spring, summer and now into the fall months. As you can see we’ve arrived at The Farm (sounds like a Patricia Cornwell book, doesn’t it?). We left our home location after saying our goodbyes on Tuesday morning, October 16th, around 8:30 am. Our destination was only a few hours away but a bit further north and we managed quite well as it’s a new season of towing again. Arriving at our usual over night spot in Lively, Ontario we parked beside the abandoned Husky gas station on the small cement pad we like. It keeps us out of the way and makes us very level at the same time. We unhooked and headed off to the little bistro Alley Catz to have lunch with best friend Linda and her sister in law Diane. From there Riley and I headed off to our eye appointments with a new eye doctor, Dr. Teri Fisher. In and out in less than 45 minutes with no money owing. We like that!!! An  afternoon visit with Linda at her home just around the corner from the Igloo and then home for the evening. Morning found us at Linda’s once again for another hour’s visit before  heading out to hook up the Igloo. We wished our friend a very happy birthday before leaving. We didn’t have far to go before unhooking again for an appointment with a nurse for insurance purposes (not travel insurance), as there was no where to turn the Igloo had we pulled it down her street. The whole area was NO EXIT so we couldn’t even park on a different street. A quick 20 minutes with her before Riley and I along with HRH Miss Kitty headed back to pick up the Igloo again. 

Leaving Manitoulin Island via the Swing Bridge in Little Current, Ontario.

Arriving in Parry Sound around 4 pm after a leisurely drive we dropped in to the local Walmart where we spent the night. A few flurries visible in the air but nothing on the ground. Morning found us right at the freezing mark and the dewy moisture had frozen overnight making things icy on the Dogsled and all puddles were frozen. On the road around 8 am we headed south once again exiting the 400 Southbound and catching Ontario 12 East toward Orilla. On this stretch of road we noted snow on roof tops and on the fields, not enough to say it snowed  but enough to know a few flakes had fallen and that winter is approaching. We continued along our way stopping for a stretch only once before we arrived in Roseneath at Buttercup Ridge on Oct 18, my anniversary. (Travel note to self: Continued along until we took the 115/7 to Fowlers Corners, a left there and it’s a straight run to the farm. Best route so far.) We tucked ourselves in beside the little drive shed out of the wind and settled down for a stay. Janet and Dennis (sister in law and her hubby) were on a cruise and returned home around dinner time Saturday evening. We managed a quick coffee and catch up with Janet on Sunday morning before Riley and I headed off to Hamilton.

 
Heading into Toronto on the Gardnier Expressway, you can just see the CN Tower on the right.

Courtney and Matt (oldest daughter and hubby) were to meet us at the storage locker to remove their things but Courtney woke up with a case of vertigo and needed to stay home. Matt and his sister Amy showed up at the locker and we managed to get everything into the Dogsled and Matt’s car and now we can actually walk INTO the locker. Thanks for the help Amy!!!! From there we headed back to Toronto to visit with Courtney and enjoy lunch. Courtney and Matt live with friends Jodi and Shane in the area of Danforth and Coxwell. A very nice home but lots and lots of stairs. A tight fit to get the Dogsled in the driveway, had to angle it in  and still managed to block a bit of the sidewalk, but not a busy street so it was no issue. Courtney broke her foot a few weeks ago and is getting around well in her walking boot. Lunch was delicious and we enjoyed our visit, it was great to see both C & M again, also nice to chat with Jodi again but Shane was absent, away for the weekend. Riley and I headed for the Farm just before 5 pm and although traffic was backed up for a while we still managed to arrive at the farm north of Cobour by 6:30 pm. Another quick visit with Janet and Dennis before calling it a night.

 
A dusting of snow in the Orilla, Ontario area.

Monday, Oct 22 found me on my way shortly after 8 am to Bill Spenser’s Chevy dealership to have a warranty issue addressed on the Dogsled. The beast had an oil leak, still covered for a while under the power train warranty. With the Big Dog on the hoist it was determined the oil pan nuts just needed a bit more torque. So we shall see if that is truly the issue or if it needs a new pan/gasket etc before the warrant expires. Oil level was perfect even after we towed from the Island to here, the trip to Hamilton and Toronto and into Cobourg. So it’s a very minor leak but I’ll be keeping an eye on it. 

The entrance path to Peter's Woods.

Back home before 10:30 am, Riley and I decided a short hike was in order. Peter’s Wood’s is  approximately a mile long through some very nice hard wood trees. Very little colour here yet, but it’s coming, ferns are still green, many trees still green too. However frost has hit in the past day or two so I’m sure the colours will be changing quickly. Twenty minutes later we were heading home.

Some colour but not much yet during our short hike in Peter's Woods.

We’ve been enjoying our evening meals with Janet and Dennis, she is a very wonderful cook!!! We always enjoy our time with family and the time we spend here on the farm. The barn is once again filling up with piglets and cows. Probably about 10 or piglets arrived the other day, and about 20 cows/calves as well. A couple of wild turkeys could be seen strutting their stuff in the fields which were stripped of their soybeans just this past Sunday afternoon. We hear next year’s crop will be corn. 

A bit more colour in this area of the trail.

So we will remain here at Buttercup Ridge until Monday, Oct 29 when we will depart for another destination a bit further south. Walmart on Rymal Road in Hamilton will be our next destination for two appointments and a short drive to middle daughter Bradey’s new home in Brantford will fill our short stop in the area. We’ll be checking out the length of the driveway on that visit as both she and her partner David assure me it’s lots long enough for the Igloo but I want to see it first. We are excited to see them again and their new digs as well.

Can you see the face on this tree in Peter's Woods?  I wonder if it's Peter?

My next post will be from Hamilton as we aren’t doing a whole lot of exciting things here at Buttercup Ridge but enjoying our time just the same. Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit. All pictures today were taken with phone/camera on our journey from Manitoulin Island to Buttercup Ridge.

 
One small pile of these nuts, chestnuts or walnuts, not sure which. We had several more piles like this as well.

Until next time….take care, be safe,

Some more fall colours on our journey southward on Highway69 S just outside of Estaire, Ontario

Not as brilliant as they should be but still nice.


 
Deb


 

Friday, October 12, 2018

Soon be moving to southern Ontario....



Our Location: 109 Lakeshore Road North, Tehkummah, Ontario

I apologize for not posting this summer but truly we don't do much exciting and I dislike boring folks. However we are getting ourselves ready to hit the road soon and have been busy getting summer things packed away and winter things pulled out and packed in the Igloo once again. 

So much rain and moisture here now.

Not often you see a partridge fluffing this time of the year.
 
We have been suffering through tremendous amounts of rain the past almost 2 weeks and it doesn't look like we'll get much relief except a day here or there until we leave. We have rain with more rain and yet more rain and the odd splash of sun just about every day. The temps have fallen drastically today from the balmy warm numbers of 56F/13C for a day time high to 45F/7C. Last night we stayed just above the freezing mark at 35F/1.6C. Definitely time to move to southern Ontario. 

I love this picture. The reflection is wonderful.

These two pictures were taken much earlier in the summer, now the water is cold and dark.

We will be leaving the Island on Oct 16, (this Tuesday) with at least a one night, possibly two nights stay in the Sudbury area. We have a couple of appointments to tend to before we leave the area. From there we will be heading south easterly for a day or two. I'm sure you can guess where we will be heading, right? Yes back to the farm in Roseneath, just outside of Cobourg. Janet and Dennis have once again graciously agreed to give us a parking spot for a couple of weeks. They left today for a short vacation or rather a cruise, and will return a couple of days after we arrive at the farm. I have a truck repair that needs to be taken care of and I'll have it done in Cobourg. My confidence level in the dealership in Espanola is not high and so opted instead to wait. 

This is the actual colour of this photo.

The sun is trying to burn off the fog but so far not doing well.

Fog in the early morning.

A family of loons have been hanging out here all summer.
 
We will be heading to Hamilton for a couple of appointments, leaving the farm on Oct 29. Appointments are on 30 and 31, with us leaving Hamilton the afternoon of 31 with the OnRoute in Tilbury being our destination for the night. We will then be close to the US/Canada border and will hopefully slip across without any issues. 

Sunrise on my morning walk not long ago.

Love the colours. Sunrise again.

Today's pictures have been taken on my morning walks. I usually walk the same block, 4 miles/6.4 km , takes me a little over an hour. I only use my phone so the picture quality isn't great but it gives you an idea of what I see while I am out and about. 

An over night rain caused this water fall not far from the Igloo. It's been running now for a number of days.

This tree is on the way to Dad's house from the Igloo but via the farm road, not the main road.

With the fall colours now on the sights are amazing and yet with the constant winds I'm surprised we still have any left at all. 

Heading out Lakeshore Road N.

A wider view of the roadside having just past my brother's driveway heading north on my walk.

Thanks for stopping by, I promise to do a much better job of blogging when we leave our home base. Coffee time is 6:30 am at Dad's house, a walk after that usually gets me home about 8:15 - 8:30 am, then the usual chores at home and sometimes elsewhere as well and before I know it the clock is reading noon. Lunch is between 2-3 pm (as you know this is our main meal of the day), reading, working, and visiting fills the rest of the day light hours and I'm in bed reading by 9 pm. So as you can see the days seem to speed by before I get a chance to write anything.  We don't do much exciting stuff here but it's home and we like it. 

Love the sunrise through the tree.

Love that fiery colour.

Until next time... take care, be safe, 

Looking up river on my walk.

Lots of moisture on this web.

Sunrise isn't far off.

Deb